Oliver and the Snowstorm
Plot Winter was settling in on the Island of Sodor. This meant the Christmas rush, which meant more work for all the engines. Most engines don't the mind the extra work; they wanted to keep on moving so they wouldn't get cold. It helped that Christmas was a very pleasant time indeed. But there was one engine who wasn't happy. Oliver puffed into his shed, next to his brakevan, Toad. "Did you have a good run with your coaches, sir?" asked Toad. "No! That blasted snow got in the way! Again!" Oliver grumped. Toad winced. "How so?" "Well, I barely stopped at Bluff's Cove because I had to brake very quickly! I'm lucky I didn't get a wheel flat." "I wouldn't worry about it, Mr. Oliver. Snow can be quite magical." Toad said cheerfully. "Snow may be magical in your opinion, Toad, but it's still a nuisance." he said grumpily. "But Mr. Oliver, snow can be taken care of by snowploughs. All you do is push it aside. Besides, children have great fun building snowmen." replied the brakevan, "Snow can be very fun!" "Pah! What's the use of snowmen?" huffed Oliver, "And all our snowploughs are bulky and uncomfortable." "I guess, but-" "Not now, Toad." sighed Oliver and he puffed away to shunt trucks. Toad was left alone. "I guess he'll never understand..." thought the brakevan. Later, Oliver had to take a train of ballast from the Small Railway down to Knapford Bend, where they were preparing the tracks for the Christmas holidays. "Come on Toad," Oliver said crossly as he biffed some ballast trucks into him, "We've got to get going..." "Of course, sir," smiled Toad, even if Oliver was the opposite of cheery. Oliver rolled his eyes and whistled as he puffed away. He sighed as he made his way with his trucks to Arlesburgh Junction. Bert and Mike saw him and exchanged puzzled looks. "What's wrong?" Bert asked kindly as Oliver puffed under the chute with his train. Oliver looked up and scowled. "It's all this snow. It's getting in the way of everything!" "What do you mean?" asked Bert. "Stupid icy rails which can cause runaways, blasted timetable changes, and it gets very cold in the wintertime." replied Oliver gravely. "I know how you feel," said Mike. "You do?" "Of course. I've had my own troubles with snow. In fact, it was just yesterday! I nearly ran over this boy with a bike! He wasn't paying attention. He says it's the snow... Pah!" Rex chuckled as he puffed in with some tourists. "No, it was because you weren't paying attention." he teased, "Didn't you slip on the rails?" Mike grew redder than his paintwork. "Why. you little-" "Yes, I know. I am the master of comebacks," grinned Rex. "Quit it!" scowled Mike. "Enough!" Bert interrupted, "I can't stand you two sometimes!" Rex and Mike glared at each other. Toad giggled at their antics. Bert shunted the trucks onto the chute, and the ballast flew through the holes to Oliver's trucks. When the process was complete, Oliver set off, still grumbling. "Snow... Icy rails... Nothing but trouble." he mumbled. "Mr. Oliver, I'd advise you to be careful. The rails are icy today." cautioned Toad. Oliver realized that Toad was right, for his wheels started to slip. "Oh dear. You're right, Toad! We better get some sand on the rails." The driver checked, and his sandboxes were empty! "Oh, no! Brakes!" cried Oliver, and the driver applied the brakes. The trucks felt this and smirked to each other. "Ready, boys?" called the front truck. "He, he, ha! Yes, yes!" squealed the trucks. Oliver felt a bump. "Oh no you don't... Unless you want to end up like that private owned wagon..." he scolded. But the trucks didn't care; they wanted revenge for him bumping them earlier. "What's going on? If this is my fault, I don't get what I did wrong." said Toad. The guard applied Toad's brakes; the brakes strained, but Toad's brakes were weak and broke. "Darn. I forgot to have Toad's brakes repaired. Driver, brakes!" yelled the guard. "I already did," called the driver, "and it's not helping!" Oliver felt a surge. "Oh, help! I don't have time for a runaway today!" But the trucks paid no attention; they never cared for engines' feelings unless it effected them. "On! On!" they shouted and they knocked the crew off the footplate. "What the..." cried the driver as he rubbed his head. "Oh, just great. We're stuck, we have no food, and we lost our engine. What's next?" grumbled the fireman. "Uh... taxi?" Oliver was now crewless. He panicked more and more. "I have no crew! Toad, do something!" "I can't, Mr. Oliver! I caaan't!" With no brakes, the train started going faster and faster. Oliver gulped. "I just want to stop! I just want to stop!" Just then, Oliver saw Terence plowing a field. "Terence! Help!" Terence looked at Oliver, who was almost already out of sight. "What's going on?" he wondered, "I think Oliver's in trouble..but what kind?" "I've lost my crew and my brakes!" yelped Oliver, "How can we stop now?!" Then, he gasped. "Oh, no. Not the hill! I hate roller coasters!" "I'm not too fond of them either!" wailed Toad. Oliver raced up the hill with the trucks following behind. They whispered something to each other. "What are you talking about?" asked Oliver. "It doesn't matter!" giggled a truck as they rushed to the top of the hill. "Wait, what?" "Help, sir!" cried Toad, but it was no use. The trucks giggled and surged forward. "Weeee! Let's crash into something!" they screamed. Oliver shut his eyes tightly as they raced down the hill. "I hate this!" he groaned. "How do you think I feel, sir?!" cried Toad. Oliver groaned in horror as he soon saw a huge snowdrift up ahead. "Look out!" he cried. Before he could say another word, he plowed into the drift. The Great Western engine coughed as snow fell off him. "Sleepers and ballast!" spluttered Oliver. The trucks giggled. "Well done. Once again, the trucks have established revenge." Oliver couldn't say anything; he was too cold. "I-I'm c-c-cold." shivered Toad. "Well, I'm freezing to the frames in here." complained Oliver. Just then, they heard loud pants. Oliver's crew ran up, finally catching up to the engine. "His idea," pointed the driver. The fireman was too tired to answer. "Well, at least you're here now. Can you get us out?" Oliver pleaded. "Oh, you'll probably be stuck here for days." said the driver. "What do you mean me?" spluttered Oliver indignantly. "Well, we humans have hotels. That, and the snow's piled up around you. So we'll need the help of an engine to get you out of there." Before Oliver could angrily reply, they saw an orange tractor. "Look! It's Mr. Terence!" cheered Toad, "He'll get us out." Oliver sighed with relief. "Oh, thank you for coming Terence. My crew were about to leave me here!" The crew sighed with exasperation. Terence chuckled. "Ah, I'd thought I would find you here. I heard your frantic whistling and saw you racing by. I figured you might need help. Now, let's get you out of there." The driver attached a chain between Toad and Terence, and uncoupled Oliver. "Ready?" asked Terence. "Of course," shivered Toad, "I've had enough adventure for one day." Terence pulled away Toad and the trucks, and tugged them out of the way, on a siding. "Phew..." panted Toad, "Thanks, Mr. Terence." Terence grinned. "No problem!" "Ey, what about me?" groaned Oliver. "I'm coming!" called Terence as he trundled over to him. "Hurry up before I freeze!" shivered Oliver. "I don't know... Engines are heavier than brakevans or trucks." Terence said, "And you're covered in snow." "Just try!" Oliver said quickly. "Alright..." Terence's treads dug into the ground and he began to pull. "(grunt) Gosh, you're heavier than I thought." Oliver snorted. Terence tried again, but the snow kept Oliver wrapped like a thick blanket. He was out of breath after a while. His driver took off the chain so Terence could get his breath back. "Why'd you stop?" asked Oliver. "(pant) Sorry. (pant) But I can't go on. I think you're stuck. I'll try and plow around you. That might loosen your grip." As Terence did so, Oliver felt very cold without the warmth of his fire. "Oh, who will help us now?" groaned Oliver. Suddenly, two familiar whistles sounded. "It's Mr. Donald and Mr. Douglas!" said Toad excitedly. Sure enough, two Scottish engines could be seen in the distance; they were busy ploughing the tracks on the island, and were now starting on Duck's Branch Line. "Och, aye! Look, Douggie. It looks like an engine!" "It looks like yon Oliver!" They pulled up beside Terence. "Terence, what's going on?" asked Douglas worriedly. "Oliver's gotten stuck in the snow. I rescued Toad and the trucks, but Oliver still needs help." replied the tractor. "It's us! Please, help!" cried Oliver. "Aye, we'll lend ye a hand." said Donald and he charged. He biffed into Oliver, who was pushed forwards. "Ouch!" cried Oliver, "What was that for?" Donald sheepishly grinned. "Uh... that was to try and push ye out of the snow... I guess it didna work..." "Maybe you should... pull him out?' suggested Terence. "Och aye," agreed Douglas as he puffed behind Donald, "Come on, let's try. Strong chains were attached between Donald and Oliver. "Ye ready?" asked Donald to his twin. "Ready!" Toad and Terence watched with interest as the Scottish Twins started to pull. "We'll do it! We'll do it!" they chanted. "You better, too." said Oliver crossly. Donald and Douglas laughed. "We will, lad! Dinna worry!" The two twins put sand on the rails so they could grip them. At last, Oliver was free. "Oh, thank goodness!" gasped Oliver, "I can breathe." Donald and Douglas whistled, and Terence cheered. But Toad wasn't that happy. "I warned you about the icy rails." said Toad crossly, "so I guess this is your comeuppance." Oliver sighed. "...you're right, Toad. I'm sorry I was so cross earlier. I just don't like snow." "I can understand, sir. And I forgive you." replied Toad "We better hurry and make up for lost time," said the driver as he got back into the cab. Oliver was embarrassed, but agreed. "Right, let's just get this job finished." Oliver's fireman lit his fire again and the tank engine charged his way through the snow with his snowplough. But Oliver began to be curious about something. "Do you still think snow is magical, Toad?" he asked earnestly. Toad thought for a moment. "Uh... Well, to be honest, after sitting through that cold, snow seems not so magical." said the brakevan. "Magic doesn't exist," muttered the guard quietly. But nobody heard him. Oliver raced along, and at last, made it to Knapford Bend. But he was very late indeed. The workmen were waiting angrily for them. "What happened to you?" asked a workman, "You took ages.' "Long story." replied the driver, "Let's just say we had a bit of trouble with the snow..." "Tell me about it," grunted Oliver. The workmen exchanged puzzled looks, but said nothing. It took a while, but soon, then new ballast was put down, and Knapford Bend was ready. Oliver was very impatient. "Can we go home now?" asked Oliver. "I guess so. But Duck might've heard about this by now." replied the driver. Oliver's boiler quivered; not because of the cold, but because of what he knew what happen. "Bother..." That night, as Oliver puffed in with Toad, it turned out that Donald and Douglas had told Duck everything. Oliver rolled his eyes as the three engines started teasing him about snow. They thought it was funny, but Oliver thought it was very immature indeed. Characters *Donald and Douglas *Oliver *Rex *Mike *Bert *Terence *Toad *Duck (does not speak) *Rosie (cameo) *Billy (cameo) *Stanley (cameo) *Jock (cameo) Locations *Tidmouth *Cronk *Arlesburgh Sheds *Arlesburgh Junction *Knapford *Knapford Bend *Bluff's Cove (mentioned) Category:Sodor Adventures